


Smoldering Fangs

by LArtoriusCastius (Willibonvonnothing)



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-22 10:13:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7432164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willibonvonnothing/pseuds/LArtoriusCastius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daenerys already had three dragons. Three children of fire and blood to mark her birthright. Now she has a direwolf, set to guide her through the coming winter, and the wars that await.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"The Unsullied are a means to an end."

"Once I own them, these men-" Daenerys started.

"They are not men." Jorah interrupted quietly. "Not anymore."

"Once I own this army of slaves." She corrected, over the noise of the market, and local wildlife. Astapor was filled with life, unchained or bound. It would be her choice to break the irons, or leave them be. "What will I be?" That was the question that bothered her. Viserys wanted an army that would obey his every whim, an army without a will of it's own. She was a Khaleesi, her people were meant to be free. A Khalassar was made of free men and women.

"Do you think these slaves will have better lives serving Kraznys and men like him, or serving you." An interesting point, she thought as they descended the steps. Her eyes roamed, stopping on a small child for a moment as they exchanged smiles.

"You'll be fair to them. You won't mutilate them to make a point." Jorah continued, watching as his queen grew distracted by the antics of a small girl and her toy ball. "You won't order them to murder babies, and ensure they are properly fed and sheltered. A great injustice has been done to them."

And will it be I who upholds this injustice, Dany thought, as an observer to the conversation could only keep himself from snorting.

"Closing your eyes will not undo it." Jorah finished as she came to a stop. The small girl was looking at her, with ball in hand and shy smile on her face. With a playful look the girl bent forward, rolling the wooden ball across the docks towards Dany.

The young queen picked it up, and looked at the girl to see if she was ready to have it rolled back. Instead the child smiled and made a twisting motion with her hands. There was something inside the toy. There would be no harm in playing along, so Dany brought her other hand up to the sphere and began to twist, as all hell broke loose behind her.

With a harsh smack, the ball was slapped out of her hands and Dany collapsed to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jorah, wresting against a cloaked man. An assassin with dagger in hand. A notion that would have scared her if she hadn't heard a noise. Eyes forward, she saw the ball creak open, spindly legs stepping out to reveal an insect, a large insect the color of worn brass with a stinger larger than some of her fingers. It seemed to eye her, waiting for a moment, as if to taunt her before charging.

This is it, this is how it ends, the young queen thought. She was paralyzed by indecision at the skittering insect, to retreat or attempt to defend herself. A choice that was made for her as a large blade of rippled grey steel descended upon it, skewering the pest.

"Are you alright my lady?" A low, rough voice asked in Westrosi as Dany gathered herself. The child, if it actually was one, had dissappeared. Not a comforting notion. She took the offered hand, to look at her defender. A man of Jorah's age, with a closely trimmed beard with tinges of white. And eyes. A dark grey as soft as fog.

"I am well good ser. Thank you-" She began only to feel a hand on her shoulder, pulling her away from her rescuer. She was ready to turn and face her latest attacker, but it was Jorah. He had placed himself in front of her, sword drawn. Dany couldn't see her trusted guard's face, only his back but she could read him with ease. Fear, a fear that left him shaking, on a knife's edge as the good ser stood observing.

"My queen, I beg of you." Jorah said as another figure came to the side of the good ser. This man was older, old enough to be her grandfather and he wore the cloak of Jorah's assailant. "Run, retreat to the rest of the khalassar. I will hold them here."

Why? That was the question that hung on her lips as she turned her attention back to the good ser. The soft fog was gone, these were eyes of the harshest stone. A gaze that wished to reduce Jorah to a smear on the ground, and looked more than capable of doing so. The thought sent a shiver down Dany's spine as she observed.

"Ser Jorah, that will not be necessary." The elderly man said as he took a step forward, hands raised in submission. The man seemed unconcerned as Jorah's sword point shifted from the good ser to a hand's width away from his own stomach. "We come in peace, and wish little more than to speak our peace."

"And how am I to trust you Ser Barristan? You brought _him_ along." Jorah knows both of these men, she thought. Barristan, the name was familiar in the vaguest of senses, and she'd never met someone like her savior. She'd remember eyes like those.

"Trust me Jorah. _She_ is safe. No thanks to you." The ser said as he shifted his scabbard off his back, taking care as he slid his weapon back into it's proper place.

"As you said, now." She was a queen, time to act like it. "Ser Jorah, you seem to know these men. I do not." Dany said as she turned her gaze to the elderly man who was eying her carefully. Not a hint of malice, as far as she could tell, but he was watching her, not judging, simply observing. "I owe you my life. Regardless of my companion's mistrusts, I wish to honor you. Your names." It was a command, as she stepped forward. She had no desire to cower behind Jorah. These men had done her no harm, and would be treated with the proper respect. Of a monarch thanking her benefactors.

"The honor is mine, my queen. I am Barristan Selmy, a humble knight wishing to aid you." Barristan said, bowing before his queen. Even with the full name, the memory eluded her, a sign that Jorah picked up upon.

"Was one of the greatest fighters the Seven Kingdoms has ever seen, And was Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard." He supplied.

"King Robert is dead." Her defender's grip on the pommel of his sword seemed to tighten at that statement, but Daenerys was the only one to notice. "I have been searching for you, Daenerys Stormborn. To ask your forgiveness. I was sworn to protect your family. I failed them." Barristan continued as he took the knee before her. "I was Kingsguard to your father. Allow me to join your Queensguard, and I shall not fail you again."

Barristan the Bold, a traitor her brother had ranted about at times. An old turn cloak who wished to rejoin the dragon. Viserys would have the man executed, simply prove a point. Dany stepped forward, lightly placing her hand on Barristan's shoulder. "Rise, Ser Barristan. You have traveled far, to repent and ask forgiveness. I would be honored for you to serve me."

"Thank you, your grace. I am not worthy." Barristan said as he stood, bowing his head as he took a step back.

"I will be the judge of that." His companion made no move to take his spot, as Dany's mind raced. If she had one member of her father's Kingsguard join her, was there a second? Why would Jorah hold such animosity for him though, but not his brother in arms? She couldn't think of another member aside from the Lannister. So a loyal retainer? "And you, good ser?"

"He is no _Ser_." Jorah said with a bite.

"Jorah!" A sharp reprimand in two syllables as she turned to glare at her sworn-sword. A glare that was matched by the new member of her Queensguard.

"Your grace." Jorah dipped his head to gaze at the ground. A moment to let the tension fade before she turned back to the waiting man.

"My apologies for him."

Finally addressed, the knight stepped forward, allowing Dany a better look. He had a plain face, with dark hair that fell to his shoulders. He wasn't as large as Jorah, in fact if she had passed him though the market, she'd have thought him a blacksmith. If it wasn't for the eyes, grey eyes that soften from cutting steel to a murky fog as they looked at her.

"None needed my lady. I expect little else from one such as him. Though he does speak truth. I am no ser." The lord said with a bow. "Nor am I here to beg forgiveness as good Ser Barristan. I am simply here to offer my services, or if they are unwanted, my head."

"And what need would I have for that?" She asked, as the pieces were starting to fall into place.

"Justice, your grace." The man straightened his back to look her square in the eye, acknowledging her as an equal. "I am Lord Eddard of House Stark. Lord Paramount and Warden of the North."


	2. Sentencing

Explanations. That was what she wanted as she had listened to Jorah and Barristan argue. Jorah's council was simple, take Lord Stark's head before he took hers. It would be justice, for her father and her brother. A sentiment that she couldn't help agree with in the back of her mind, yet Ser Barristan's words echoed in her head. She had questions, and Lord Stark would be the best source she'd have for answers.

Eddard Stark is a man whose honorable reputation is known through every corner of the Seven Kingdoms, Barristan's words, not her own. If he was such a paragon of justice, a notion that Jorah loudly and repeatedly scoffed at, why had he risen in rebellion? Her father was loved by his people, and yet this Lord Stark had been the backbone of a rebellion. Jorah claimed that without Lord Stark's assistance, the war would have died at the Stoney Sept with Robert Baratheon.

She wanted answers, and as a queen she would get them.

-

Daenerys had no shackles, or prison cells to properly bind her captive. Only a servant's spare quarters, constantly guarded by members of her Khalassar.

"My thanks Thirro." The young queen said in Dothraki as the old warrior held the door to Lord Stark's quarters open for her. She could hear Jorah's reprimand already. She was entering the room without escort. She could easily be killed, her neck snapped by the emotionless Northern Lord.

She was a queen, blood of the dragon. She was not going to cower before a prisoner.

Lord Stark showed no indication that he'd noticed her presence. His back was to her, head bowed as he knelt before his bead. She could hear low whispers, prayers to gods on the other side of the world. Was he praying for forgiveness for his actions? That she'd show him mercy for his actions? That she'd listen to his pleas. He'd be better off addressing her directly if that was his wish.

"Your grace." Lord Stark said as he finished his prayer. He stood to face her with a small huff of excursion, seeming to favor one leg over the other. Two days in his makeshift cell had left him no worst for wear. Same plain tunic and trouser, same plain face, same foggy eyes that hid the sharp steel.

"Lord Stark." She responded in a clipped tone.

"I would offer you a seat if it was available." The tone wasn't mocking, it was the same quiet courtesy as he'd displayed on the docks. His face was still an unreadable mask of dour stoicism.

"I shall stand." Dany replied as she searched his eyes. "Just as I shall have answers."

"I shall answer them honestly, and to the best of my abilities." Lord Stark said with a small tilt of his head.

She had expected more pomp, more of a show. "Why are you here?" Barristan had told her of the Usurper's death, how the Usurper's children were not his own, and the conflicts that were raging in her homeland. He had remained quiet on Lord Stark though, saying it was his story to tell. "You have no interest in putting a Targaryen back on the throne, as I am likely to demand your death for your crimes, instead of accepting your aid."

"Aye, I have no care for southern politics. Yet, again and again, I find myself, and more importantly my family being dragged into their affairs. I am here to offer my aid in your ascension, or my head if you demand it. Not by choice, I shall admit. But I will do what is needed to keep my family safe. My daughter would be the prisoner of a cruel boy-king in the hands of the Lannisters. Or, I could put what faith I have in Lord Varys. He swore that my daughter would be smuggled North, so long as I brought myself before you."

"And here you stand, when it would be so easy to return. Is your life worth so little to you?" It was easy enough in Daenerys's mind. Charter a ship to the nearest port in Esso to avoid suspicion, than return home on the next available ship. What would a usurper have to gain from this? What was Lord Stark's angle?

"Nay. I made a deal. My eldest daughter is safe with her family, and Lord Varys is doing his best to find my youngest. He has honored his side of the bargain. So I shall honor mine."

"Even at the cost of yourself? You left your sons to fight a war for you. To go on a fool's quest to your own demise." That elicited a small smile from Lord Stark.

"Last I heard, my son was more than capable of handling himself. Nor is he without guidance. As for the cost to myself? What is the point of living, knowing that I traded my safety for that of my children's. Unlike some, I am willing to face my mistakes."

Daenerys had to stare at the man before her. An honorable fool if there ever was one. "You are not making a convincing argument on why I should spare you for your crimes. You seem ready to die."

"Because I committed no crimes. Your father was a mad man, and your eldest brother a brigand-" He didn't finish as the back of her hand struck him across the cheek.

"You will speak truth, or I will ensure that you don't speak at all. My father, and Rhaegar were beloved by the people. Knightly paragons." Flashing amethyst met steely grey. Neither of them looked away. Lord Stark loomed over her, yet he made no move to retaliate. The silence continued until Lord Stark sighed.

"Your grace, I ask your forgiveness, but if there is nothing else you wish to discuss, I wish to return to my prayers." He said.

"Are you dismissing me?" Dany challenged, straightening herself out to full height. Even at her tallest, she was only a hair taller than Lord Stark's shoulder.

"No your grace. It has been a tiring conversation and I simply have nothing more to say that you wish to hear. I do not know what you have heard from those who wish to curry your favor but I have no desire for petty powers or titles. Therefore I have no need to lie to you, nor shall I speak falsehoods about your family to paint them better than they were. My sister was abducted by your brother. My father asked for trial by combat to defend my brother when he requested justice from your father. My father was burnt alive in his armor, a mockery of a sacred tradition, as my brother strangled himself in a vain attempt to save him."

"He was a king, and had every right." Dany defended, the argument weak in her own ears.

"As it was my right for revenge. As it was my responsibility as a Lord to stand up in defense of my subjects. Your father had long since proven himself unfit to rule. A king who sees his people as nothing more than kindling for the fire deserves no crown."

"And that was enough justification to massacre every other Targaryen? Rhaegar's children? His wife?" She shot back. A statement that hit home as a flash of pain crossed Lord Stark's face.

"I.." He drew a shaky breath. "I will not deny my fault. If I had been sooner, marched longer, perhaps Lady Elia and her children would have been spared from the Lannister's treachery. Children, are not supposed to pay for the crimes of their parents. Nor should Lady Elia have paid with her life for the faults of her husband. I can only hope that they find peace in their rest."

More silence as Daenerys searched Lord Stark's eyes for anything. Any sort of tell to disprove his lies, to test his story. All she saw was a tired man. Someone weighed down by their past. "Lord Stark." She said, taking a breath to center herself. She needed to make a decision. Nothing good would come from delaying a decision. If what Ser Barristan said was true Westeros was in the middle of a massive civil.

"Your grace."

"If I were to accept your assistance. What will you ask in return?" The crux of the issue.

"Assuming we are successful?" Daenerys nodded. "Nothing. All I wish for is to rejoin my family, and live the rest of my life in whatever peace that can be managed."

The worst part was, she believed him. There wasn't a shred of deceit. In his voice, his stance or his eyes. Either Lord Stark was a liar without equal, and she a fool to believe him, or he was an incredibly honest man.

And you are still a fool to believe him, Dany thought. "You value your word highly." She mused, ignoring her own chastisement.

"I have little else left, your grace."

"Then swear yourself to me. An oath." She waited, ready for the hesitation. If Stark was so bound by his honor he would refuse. He'd have to. She had given him no reassurance that he, or his family would be spared her wrath when it best suited her. it was a fools bargain. She had offered him nothing but more thankless duty and hardship. In return she got a bent knee and bowed head.

Daenerys spoke the words as her mind wandered about the man before her. He agreed to protect her, serve her and obey her every command. And for what? The flimsy promise of a eunuch a continent away. To protect a family he may never see again.

It left an odd sensation in her chest as she watched him rise. A cross between sorrow and hunger. Envy, a feeling that was buried as soon as it was indentified. She was a Queen. Such feelings needed to be beyond her. She would not let them lead her to ruin such as they'd done with her brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the big 'how' is answered. Varys saw an opportunity and took it. A simple promise to keep an ear out for Arya while getting Sansa the hell out of Kings Landing. Smuggle out the father and daughter under cover of night and send them on their separate ways. Ned's stubborn honor would do the rest.
> 
> He is still a bit blinded by idealism but I think he'll get better, especially now that he knows who his enemies are. This is rebellion mode Ned. A man who is fine starting a civil war for his family. I think Bran said it best. There are two Eddard Starks. Ned, the caring, doting man who can inspire a kingdom even in his death. Then there is Lord Stark, the cold and unforgiving law man with ice in his veins. Dany met Ned today. Lord Stark will be appearing later.
> 
> Also, hopefully Dany's reactions are believable. She's getting conflicting info from different sources and is flying by instincts alone. She hasn't yet gone through the shitstorm that is Mereen, so she has the softer edges that won't lead her to immediate execution. And as Barristan points out in the future, Queen she may be, but Dany is still a young woman. She has a different sort of naivety.
> 
> I wouldn't call this a rocky start. Mostly because Dany is still figuring Ned out, and she's more confused than actively hating him. I would like to make the relationship progress with a degree of realism. I'll save the sappy, more fluffy stuff for some one-shots.
> 
> But yes, I'll try to do a chapter a week, assuming my creativity doesn't dry up. Comments, questions and concerns are always welcome, and I hope you have a good day. :)


	3. Planning

This would be the beginning, Daenerys thought as she looked over her city. People would remember her as a liberator. She'd already heard the whispers and the cheers. Breaker of Chains they named her. Another title to an ever growing list, but for now she had a night to rest. The coup was finished, and the city was at a relative peace.

Eight thousand. The number repeated itself like a mantra in her head. She had eight thousand soldiers at her command, among those who had sworn loyalty to her. With eight thousand soldiers, she had a variety of paths available. She need only decide on what she wanted, and it'd be hers for the taking. Dany had thought that would be the trivial part, but as the gentle breeze of the Astapor's sea pressed her thin lace nightgown to her chest, she thought to reconsider.

"Your grace, you look troubled."

"I am fine Missandie." Dany said with a sigh. It was a simple lie. She was in need of council, and unsure of whom to turn to. Jorah would have been her first choice, but she was too tired for the looks. A hint of betrayal that she hadn't immediately called for Eddard's head. None of her reasons seemed to deter him, as he implored her to reconsider. It was a topic she had grown tired on. To topple a city is easy, she thought to herself. To hold court was a separate matter. Especially when someone she trusted continued to press the matter.

She could ask her handmaidens, but she had matters of state to ponder over. Matters that were not beyond a Dothraki, only ignored for they were viewed as unimportant. Ser Barristan was a good choice.

A choice who was most likely asleep by this point of the knight. His time was spent educating the Unsullied on the tactics and strategies they'd face against the Westerosi. The elderly knight had earned his rest for the days efforts. An effort he didn't manage alone.

"Missandie." Daenerys called gently. The young translator had been a blessing in many shapes with her quick mind and talent for languages. It had certainly helped the her Khalassar integrate themselves with the Unsullied.

"Yes your grace. How may this one serve?" The former slave asked.

"Would you inquire with Lord Stark? If he is awake, I have need of his aid." More so than she would like to commit. It would not be arrogance to admit that she had taken the city, turning the Unsullied to her side with ease. It was Eddard who kept it running, just as it surprised her how much effort went into ruling. People still needed to be fed, and watered. Life needed go on. Merchants needed to be managed, taxes accounted for, and the public administered. It was a notion she knew of in the back of her mind. It had been bare bones administration that left her unprepared and untrained.

He had been a quiet presence. At her back when needed, offering suggestions and choices for her as he did his best to teach her. There were no sharp reprimands. He asked her to explain herself when brought forth matters of justice. There was no judgement, only a quiet guidance as she set to work improving herself. Ruling was in her blood, but how to maintain. To ensure that her people would not starve. That she could be the queen she wanted. That was where Eddard's help shined through as he showed her logistics, and the various tedious tasks a proper ruler was expected to complete. It was a heady feeling, to learn so much within less than a fortnight. No longer would she need to rely on instincts by themselves. Now she had tools to use.

"Of course your grace." Missandie said as she walked off, leaving Dany to her thoughts.

The Good Masters were dead, their wealth seized and her forces ready for action. The simple question was, what next? She had ships, Astapor's navy, and the slaver ships that she'd seized had made her a power with mobility. Should she abandon the city and sail straight for Westeros? The thought didn't appeal to her. Land of her ancestors it wasn't, but the people of Astapor had become her subjects and she refused to simply abandon them.

Leaving the balcony, she retreated indoors to pour herself a glass of wine and wait for her advisor.

Is it not her responsibility to care for the citizens of Astapor now, she thought as she took a drink. It had been a rare show of unite when both Jorah and Eddard had advised her that regardless of her next action the moment that an opportunity presented itself the Masters of Mereen and Yunkai would descend upon the city to rebuild it. Dany would be a brief respite for the citizens before they were returned to their chains.

"Enter." Daenerys called out as the sound of knuckles against wood drew her from her thoughts.

"Your grace." Missandie said as she entered with Eddard quietly following behind in his day-wear. She had caught him awake it seemed.

"Your grace." Eddard echoed, his eyes flickering over her for the briefest moment before locking onto her face, refusing to wander anywhere else.

"My thanks Missandie. You are dismissed for the night." The young translator bowed, and left without another word. Eddard's posture seemed to grow stiffer by a hair. Perhaps he was tired. She would try to make this quick. "My apologies for calling upon you so late."

"There is wine if you wish for it." She continued, motioning towards the jar and various goblets at her left. Her generosity seemed to draw an odd look, and a slightly raised eyebrow before Eddard returned to what she had deemed his resting face. Blank, bordering on cold, stoicism. A shame, he was rather pleasant to gaze upon when he smiled. An even greater shame she'd only seen the hints of a smile rather than the full thing. Curiosity was a curious thing.

"I shall pass your grace-." He started, only for Dany to wave her hand.

"It is late, and I am tired of titles for the day. Dany shall be enough. Or Daenerys." Another odd look, one that seemed to measure her with care before Eddard nodded slowly.

"As you wish.. Daenerys. But I shall pass on the wine. It is late, you have requested my council, and I wish to give it with as clear a head as possible."

"A pity." She mused as she took another small sip of wine. "I wish to discuss our continued presence in Esso with you, Eddard."

Another nod, yet Eddard made no move to continue. It was a stance that both impressed and frustrated her. Eddard never made the first move. He weighed, and waited to react how he needed at every opportunity he could. He offered advice only when requested, finding her competent enough to rule without watching over her every move. It was bad enough that Jorah and Barristan had the gall to criticize her ploy of selling Drogon in public. Only Eddard had kept his mouth shut. He had remarked in private that burning Kraznys alive with her dragon might be taken as a sign of bad faith, but he had the sense and respect to make such comments in private.

"How soon can we march upon Yunkai?"

"If we are to leave Astapor with a proper garrison, three days." Eddard said after a brief moment of thought.

"And if I asked you to take Yunkai, do you believe it possible?" Dany asked as she finished her drink, she decided against another. Now was a time for plans. She would need her wits. Nor should a proper monarch appear drunk before their advisor when at work.

"It is possible to take any city with the proper preparations and appropriate tools. I will do as I am able with what we have. Though I do not see the point in this conquest. The long that you delay here, the less likely we are to be received with grace upon your return to Westeros." A diplomatic answer.

"The point of this conquest will be conquest itself. I have eight thousand troops, all of them former slaves trained for battle. I am only a young girl and know little of the ways of war but would it not be better for me to land upon Westeros with tried and tested warriors whose loyalty has been proven to me. Yunkai and Mereen shall give them that experience." She challenged.

"When you land upon the shores of Westeros, there shall be armies of such soldiers waiting for you." Eddard returned in his calm tone, not having moved a step since entering the room. Daenerys wondered if he thought she'd feel slighted if he came closer as she thought up a retort.

"Armies that shall obey their liege lords, not the commands of their queen. Not all shall bend the knee with as much grace as you, Eddard. There will be those who wish me as nothing more than a pawn to be played with." Such as the Warlocks of Warth.

The look in his eyes meant that he considered it a fair point. "All I caution above else is haste. I understand your desire to help those under the yolk of the Masters, it is a practice with few equals in it's injustice and vileness but you have a duty that goes beyond the people here." Eddard warned with a gentle gaze seemed to pin her in place for a moment.

"So long as I am ruler of this city, I have a duty to it's people as well. The Masters of Mereen and Yunkai shall be a threat. The moment of our departure, if not before it, they will descend upon this city and what little we have done for this region will be undone in a fortnight. That shall not come to pass. We will march on Yunkai first, then Mereen. From there, we shall charter a course to Westeros." She finished, as a plan started to build itself in her mind.

"As you wish, you-" Eddard's reflexive courtesy cut off by a look of annoyance. "As you wish, Daenerys." He amended to her evident pleasure.

"Thank you, Eddard. I shall take no more of your time, but we will continue this in the morning." She said with a warm smile.

A small bow, the barest dip of his chest as to be polite but not overtly formal. "A good night to you then Daenerys."

There was something rather enjoyable about hearing her name in his deep tones, she mused once she was alone. Perhaps it was the wine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, I am setting a dangerous precedent releasing this. Last chapter I said it'd be a week, then I got some inspiration and I wrote this today, and didn't feel like there was any real reason I should wait to publish it. So yeah. In all honesty, don't expect chapter 4 the day after this comes out. This chapter was fun, because I wanted to show how Dany was starting to relax around Ned, and how Ned was fitting in. Like a reviewer pointed out, Dany is good with broad strokes, but she falters on the more nitty-gritty aspects, while Ned isn't great with the big picture, but if you put a problem before him he can come up with a solution. Dany is leading, and providing oversight, and Ned is very much doing the boring, essential "bean counting" type work that a leader needs to do.
> 
> Also, I don't know if I'm being a bit unfair though to Jorah though with my portrayal. He'd probably not be happy in the slightest if Ned showed up out of the blue, and while I imagine that Ned would be able to keep a clamp down on his dislike of the man enough to work with him, I'm not sure if Jorah could do the same, especially when Ned is unintentionally usurping Jorah's position. Jorah was defensive enough with random strangers, someone he openly dislikes would be a bit worst. She is starting to refer to him as Eddard now, instead of Lord Stark, after all.
> 
> I mostly wrote this just cause I enjoyed the mental image of honorable Ned Stark staring straight and forward to avoid catching an inappropriate glimpse of Dany, where he is not entirely sure if she is or isn't flirting with him. Like I said with Claws, a lot of my writing is self indulgent. But yes, hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I'm not quite sure when the next chapter will be, most likely a weeks time. Comments, questions and concerns are always welcome by review or PM. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and hope you have a good day :)


	4. Warring

"Sell-swords, always a haven of those unfit for even the Wall." She heard Eddard mutter at the departure of the captains of the various mercenary companies. The vile leader of the Second Sons and the three captains of the Stormcrows who had come to parlay. It had been a murmer's farce from start to finish, of insults and threats directed at her and her people. It would not stand. She had wasted enough days of her life camped outside this corrupt city.

"One wonders why you aren't there yourself, Stark." Jorah retorted to Eddard's tired comment. No quip was returned from his fellow Northern Lord. Eddard seemed to treat Jorah's words as if they were a passing wind.

"Jorah." A quick glance at her sworn sword. Her patience was waning as it was, she did not need more disparaging remarks between her advisors.

"My queen." His quiet response. A declaration of his obedience, one that rang hollower with each reminder of his conduct.

"If it comes to it Ser Barristan, I will beg you a favor. Mero's head on a pike if you please." Dany said as she stood up. The arrogance of such a man to compare her to little more than a whore. To treat Missandie as if she was a toy to be pawed over. Her desire for a peaceful resolution was shrinking by the day. With the taunts and delays by the conceited Yunkai, her restraint was nearing it's end for the day, and it wasn't past noon.

"With pleasure, your grace." The elderly knight responded. "Now, if I may beg your leave."

"Of course Ser Barristan." Drills to be done, patrols to set, war to make, she thought as Barristan left to his duties. She wasted little time as she moved from the various pillows strewn across her tent for what she hoped would be a proper negotiation, to the war table that Eddard had set out with the help of Missandie. What was most important was the map, charted less then four years ago it was the most recent depiction of Yunkai and it's defenses that they could find.

"This will not have a peaceful resolution. We will need to take the city." Daenerys announced gently to the trio as Missandie took a place at her left, Jorah at her right and Eddard across from her to get another angle on the map. Various figurines littered the table, carved armies to be placed in their formations for battle in a set of blue, and a set of red.

"We stand with little over seven thousand foot man. Well trained, and loyal but specialized. We face a force of roughly two thousand. A force with experience, and mobility but a weak center. If it is a straight fight we walk into, we will win but with heavy losses." Jorah said as picked up four small blue figures with spears, placing them outside the city walls in a straight line facing the west. Once set, he grabbed two red stallions, and a red spear man and lined them up across from their opponents.

"If we charge the walls, their cavalry will be free to do as they please. There is not but plains around the city, so the terrain will offer little advantage to us." Dany said as she moved the crimson stallions to the flanks of the blue army. She would be left defenseless, and so would the rest of the camp. The Yunkai wouldn't need to slaughter her forces when they could raid their food stores, and ransack their retreat.

"Aye. They will run into the rear." Jorah confirmed. "But we shall not give them the chance. The Second Sons are unlikely to turn sides, as are the Stormcrows. We attack tonight. Send groups to assail the walls here, here and here while the rest of our forces attack the main gate under cover of dark." He continued, as he shifted the figures about. The red figures were hidden behind the ink walls of the city as a sole blue figure stood outside the gates with it's allies spread along the walls.

"The men sent to assail the walls will be in the thickest part of the fighting, but if successful they'll be able to throw open the gates. Once inside, our numbers will win us the day."

Dany nodded as she looked over the map. She had four soldiers at her command for every one under the Yunkai. They could win the day. With casualties, but victory would still be had. "Do you have any other ideas?" She asked, glancing from Jorah to Eddard. The latter having been quiet since the sell-swords departure.

"A few, my queen. But I am assured of none such as this one." With Jorah's firm answer, she turned her attention to Eddard. "Lord Stark?"

"The plan is sound. For all the delays, we still hold the advantage." Eddard said as his gaze swept over the map. It landed on the southwestern wall. "Though I believe Mormont miscounted our available troops."

"Pardon?" Jorah spoke up in indignation.

"Peace, Jorah. How do you figure, Lord Stark?" Dany commanded as she picked up the three remaining spear man and pushed them before the main gates.

"Mormont was only counting the soldiers under your immediate command and the sell-sword companies, your grace. Many commanders forget that the populace shall always be a factor when taking the city. What men are available will be pressed into service."

"We have little to fear from pleasure slaves and whores being given swords. They would be a buffer to slice through before we face the real soldiers, nothing more." Jorah said, not noticing the frown forming on Daenerys's lips.

"Or," Eddard began as he shifted the figures, letting the blue spear men huddle in their camp, while the red army rested behind their walls. "They could be a valuable ally. The number of slaves within Yunkai makes the Unsullied look like a hunting party, and the sell-sword companies even smaller. A small group to infiltrate the city will do more, for less than hundreds trying to scale the walls under cover of night. We start the fighting in all parts of the city, open the gates, and allow our forces inside without bleeding them dry on approach."

"One problem, Stark. We don't have a way inside, other than over the walls."

"That is not true." Daenerys said as she picked through the small mountain of papers for a particular report.

"What?" Jorah's voice was oddly firm, but Missandie jumped in.

"Lord Stark sent scouts ahead. One of them found a sewer drain large enough to fit a man. Following the path, he was able to find a way into the city. Lord Stark gave the missive to the queen yesterday, before returning to his duties." The translator continued as Dany found what she was looking for.

Thin parchment with rudimentary Valyrian across it. He was no poet, but talking, and conversing with the various soldiers had given Eddard a rough gasp of the local tongue. She imagined it wasn't easy, having to command and administrate in a land where you couldn't hold a simple conversation.

"And why wasn't I informed of this?" Jorah asked as he faced Eddard. He either ignored, or didn't notice the parchment Dany had placed in front of him.

"You have denied any messages I had sent prior, I saw no need to waste my time, nor the time of whomever I asked to act as courier. What mattered was her highness received the information." Eddard said, looking as cold and distant as usual.

Daenerys could sense a storm brewing, a choice coming along with it. She was tempted to let the pair finally have the fight Jorah was building towards, if only to get it over with. But not today. There were more important matters to be dealt with. A war for instance.

"How many would you need to get into the city?" Dany asked, staring across the table at Eddard. Less than a month since his arrival, and she still found herself focusing on his eyes that seemed to shift at a whim. It was easier to tell what the stoic Lord Stark was thinking by looking into his twin pools of grey, rather than attempting to decipher anything from the stone mask of his face. Easier, but not perfect. Now, she could only see dark murky gray. Something she couldn't pin down.

"Three, perhaps four including Ser Barristan. Anything more would cause be a cause for alarm."

"Ser Barristan and two more..." She mused. Vaguely remembered tales of of the elderly knights prowess came to mind, just as she had seen him take on soldiers less than half his age when training them. Three men were still three men going into a city of vipers though. Caution would be the utmost concern. "Do you have any idea for the remaining pair?"

"Grey Worm and myself." Dany blinked at that. Grey Worm was expected, he had been elected leader of the Unsullied on combat prowess alone. But Eddard, she heard no tales of his skill on the battlefield. No doubt he was an excellent commander to defeat her brother, but a commander with no army behind them was easy prey.

"It seems an unnecessary risk for you to take the field." Daenerys said, watching Eddard carefully.

"No greater risk than leading from the back, your grace. If I am to order soldiers to die and fight for me, the least I can do is be by their side in the fray."

"Or you wish to sell us out to the Wise Master." Jorah interjected with a heated tone.

"And what would I have to gain from such treachery?" Eddard asked, gaze narrowing in on her sworn-sword.

"To keep your life. The Wise Master's would probably reward you handsomely for leading the Queen into their palms. Perhaps they'd even give you a ship to charter back to Westeros." The older Northman continued.

"I have no doubt that if the so-called Masters of the Yunkai got their hands upon me, I'd be on the fastest ship to Westeros. King's Landing most like. Bound in chains, another slave sold to whichever Lannister sits that cursed throne." Eddard's tone was cold and clear as his gaze cut into Jorah. "Those who sell their fellow man and women like cattle. It is a wonder that you are not running off to defend the Yunkai yourself, Mormont."

"That was different!"

"Yes, because there isn't some faithless maiden waiting for you behind the Yunkai walls!" Eddard growled as leaned forward against the table.

"Enough!" Daenerys's palms slammed into the war table as Jorah reached for the pommel of his sword. "Lord Stark. I am aware of Ser Jorah's past crimes, just as I am aware of how he wishes to repent for them. Just as I am aware of your own actions. I am willing to forgive him for his sins, past and present, just as I am willing to forgive yours. Provided you give me a reason to. That said, we are here to fight the Yunkai, not each other. If it is too much to ask for you two to fight by each others side, then tell me now. I will not waste time or talent on squabbles."

A brief look of confusion crossed Eddard's face as his gaze shifted from Jorah back to her before his face went back to his stubborn neutrality. The confusion bothered her, what was there to be confused about? She'd find out later.

"Of course, your grace. My apologies for that outburst, it shall not happen again." The icy tone in Eddard's voice melted into his usual low rumble as he bowed his head, first to herself, than slowly to Jorah. Eddard's gaze seemed to linger for a moment on her sworn-sword in contemplation, she could see the hints of thoughts behind his foggy eyes. But, as soon as the glimpse was there, it was gone again.

"Thank you Eddard. Now, if you would please inform Ser Barristan and Grey Worm of your plan, and make the necessary preparations. We will strike tonight, until then I am in need of a private audience with my sworn-sword." Dany said as she straightened her spine. She would never have the height to tower over people such as Eddard Stark, but she was a Targaryen. She could still manage a presence of power.

"As you wish, your grace." Eddard said in his low voice. Gods willing, by this time tomorrow she would be another step closer to home. She watched as Eddard gathered a few papers from the war table, and shuffled them into a semblance of an organized pile before departing the tent with one last dip of his chest.

She took a moment to compose herself, making sure she made the right decision with Eddard's plan. She already knew Jorah's answer, disappointment and disgust. She could already see it forming in his eyes. The reprimand and arguments. Tiring, repetitive, pointless, all words that came to mind. She could already plot out how the rant would go.

"You've already fallen into his trap." A simple accusation with a hint of venom behind it.

"Pardon?" Dany inquired as she turned to face her sworn-sword. That had not met her expectations.

"You've fallen into his trap. The same deception that Rhaegar and your father fell for."

"And what trap is that? Honest council, a tongue that doesn't do it's best to deliver thirty lashings with each sentence, or was it his barely hidden contempt for my enemies?" She asked as she waved a hand at Missandie. If she was going to do this, she'd need a glass of wine.

"What do you see when you look at Eddard Stark?"

A honest man. A calm, honor-bound man who trusted too easily. A quiet administrator who completed their task than went home without complaint. The epitome of a second son. Dutiful, and competent, but not to competent as to be a concern. Eyes that shifted from the sternest steel, to soft morning fog. A plain face as unreadable as stone, yet one she found herself curious about. An advisor who gave his aid without complaint or snide looks.

Apparently her thoughts were written across her face as Jorah continued. "He isn't a threat in your mind. Viserys spent your entire lifetime filling your head with stories of the cruel Eddard Stark. A heart as cold as ice, and dead eye. You were given a lifetime to paint a picture in your head of Eddard Stark as one of the worst monsters to walk the realms, and in less than a month he has gone from a prisoner to a commander of your armies."

"He is useful." She defended without a trace of hesitation. Looking back, she could only imagine what kind of mess she'd have left Astapor in. No garrison, honest merchants and traders left in disorder. The city may have starved, fallen into anarchy or worst. Instead, she was fairly confident that Hero would be able to maintain order.

"He is deceiving you! Just as he has deceived everyone else."

"What? What is there for him to deceive me for? Will he stab through the chest as we march upon Meereen? I shudder to think of what will be left of him once the Unsullied have avenged me. For what purpose would he lie to me? To deliver me to the grasps of the Lannisters? The very people whom his son is fighting a war with? Do you think me so foolish to trust a man who simply wishes to return home?" She paused, thanking Missandie quietly as the goblet was set before her.

"The man has every reason to hate my family, yet here he stands offering his services. Not asking for leniency, or mercy. He didn't expect them, nor would I have given them if he had-"

"As you should hav-" Jorah interjected.

"Stop interrupting me!" Daenerys shouted as she took a step forward to glare up at Jorah. "I am tired Jorah. I ask for your council, and you complain about every decision I make. I ask for your silence and you defy me with more questions. I ask for your obedience, and yet you continue to goad Lord Eddard at every opportunity that presents it self. I am done asking. Consider this an order. No more. If you have nothing of importance to say, I do not wish to hear it."

Her heart broke a bit at the look in Jorah's eyes. Betrayal that turned to anger, till it was smothered underneath the service, hidden from Dany's view. She had to wonder if it was a Northern trait. The ability to suppress their emotions, and wipe them clean from their face like snow off a frozen pond.

Was this the right thing to do? She could no longer remain neutral. Did she pick the right side? Should she have forced to pick a side in the first place? She was the queen of both men. Both had sworn their service, and she trusted that both of them had spoken honestly. So, why couldn't one work with the other? Daenerys found herself at a loss. She didn't regret her decision, she regretted being forced to choose.

"If there is nothing else, your grace." Bland words with a measured tone

"You are dismissed. No more reprimands over Lord Eddard, or my decisions. You are here to advise." A stiff bow was her only response until Jorah was nearly outside the tent.

"Your grace. Whether in Westeros or Esso. A Stark is still a Stark, and their sigil is a direwolf for a reason. You may think him a well-trained dog, and to a point, you are correct. Compared to his siblings, he is. They were all wolves, that howled and left their teeth bare. Fangs shown to the world for all to see. Eddard's strength has always been his silence. He shows his fangs so rarely that many forget he even has them. Jon Connington forgot, just as Rhaegar forgot, just as your Father forgot. Do not do yourself the disservice of forgetting as well." He said before departing.

She stood at the table for a few minutes thinking. Was she wrong? Was she right? Did it matter, the damage was already done, she thought.

"Honestly..." Dany muttered with more than a trace of anger. Why should she feel bad about Jorah's actions? Why was he making her feel bad about her decisions? As usual, questions with answers she didn't know. She almost laughed at the irony of the situation. Her traditional source of comfort had become her greatest discomfort. Perhaps a bath, or her dragons would suffice to cheer her up. Or both. She was going to go with both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I could give excuses. So I will. Pokemon Go came out in Canada this week. To make things short, this has not been a productive week for me as I went on an adventure or seven with my little brother. To remedy this, you get a slightly longer than average chapter. Also, it seems that at this pace this might turn into a longer story than I thought. Lucky you. I will do my best to get a chapter out every week, but don't hold me to it. But you aren't here to hear me complain.
> 
> I think Jorah's worst enemy is always the fact that he tries too hard. Effort and dedication are good up until a point. That point is usually called obsession, or something equally bad. His attempts to ensure that Dany doesn't get too close to Ned are doing nothing more than frustrating her, and accidentally doing exactly what he is trying to prevent. Dany for her part is starting to catch on to the worth of Jorah's word while Ned tries his best to stay out of trouble. He by no means likes Jorah, just as he by no means like the Lannisters after the rebellion, but he's been forced into a situation where he needs to compromise. Ned's solution is simple, stay as far away from the problem as possible. Unfortunately, that's hard to do in a war tent.
> 
> As for the current changes, Astapor is less likely to fall into the shit hole that it ended up as in canon. That's the only one right now to mention. Dany has less troops at her immediate disposal, but least now she has a more solid foothold.
> 
> Anyways, comments, questions and concerns are always welcome in the form of reviews or pms. I am looking for prompts and such for some Dany/Ned oneshots to possibly fill in the waiting times between chapters for this story. Regardless, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and have a nice day. ^.^

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is an idea I've had for a while. I have three people I pair with Ned. Ashara, Cersei, and Dany. All three pairings are rather lacking in material, so I thought I might as well make my own. This one shall be Ned and Dany. So, for those of you looking for Jon, or Robb. I hate to break it to you, but not happening here. There are other stories, most of them better than my works, with that pairing. Also this won't be a 30k+ word story, probably like 5 or 6 chapters. (I am highly undecided on doing any smut)
> 
> It really does surprise me that (as far as I am aware) no one has written a story about Ned helping Dany reclaiming her thrown. Or anything regarding their relationship. The man helped kick her father off of it, the irony of putting another Targaryen back onto the iron throne is interesting to me, but hey. To each their own. This story will be from Dany's perspective for the most part, because like Claws, I'm still trying to work on writing from a female perspective. So I hope it isn't too.. stereotypical? Mushy? Overly sexist? Any of those things really. Next chapter will hopefully solve the question of what happened in Kings Landing to allow this situation to come about.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Comments, questions and concerns are always welcome as reviews or PM's. And hope you have a good day. :)


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